Method of cleaning surfaces in textile mills



Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES IN TEXTILE MILLSFiled July 23, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HUBERT SOHLE-R. BYWfig/ A! irll.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES IN TEXTILEMILLS Filed July 25, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HUBEET SoH LERATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES IN TEXTILEMILLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 23, 1962 INVENTOR: I90 usezr Son-n52BYgMJIf'j HQ ML ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANINGSURFACES IN TEXTILE MILLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 23.

INVENTOR BYW WAQh/Q ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANINGSURFACES IN TEXTILE MILLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 23, 1962 5 n. aw ma a Wm m w .U Q m mm 2 m w & W

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m m a I. 9 m m Aug. 3, 1965 H. SOHLER METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES INTEXTILE MILLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 23, 1962 ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,198,653 METHQD 0F CLEANHNG SURFAE IN TEXTILE MELS HubertSolder, Maschlnenfabrik, Wangen, Allgau, Germany Filed July 23, 1962,Ser. No. 211,746 4 Claims. (Cl. 13421) This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 42,381,filed July 12, 1960, now US. Patent No. 3,045,274, issued July 24, 1962,and entitled Traveling Suction Cleaner for Textile Mills.

This invention relates to a method of disposing of accumulations of lintand other loose foreign matter which normally accumulate on the floorand on parts of textile machines and other surfaces in a textile mill.

As is well known, in most textile operations, fly is generated by thetextile material being processed on various machines and is suspended inthe air and/or settles as lint on various parts of the machines, on thefloor and on other surfaces Within the mill. Various methods, utilizingblowing devices or suction devices, or combinations thereof, have beenused which involved blowing air onto the machines and other surfacesand/ or sucking air therefrom at points adjacent the machines and floorsof the mill to remove lint and the like therefrom. More recently,traveling suction cleaning equipment has been provided with collectionmeans movable with the traveling cleaner for collecting lint suckedthereinto while filtering the lint from the air during the collectionthereof.

While such prior types of traveling suction cleaning devices haveperformed quite well in many respects, the filtering and collectingdevices thereof have created somewhat of a problem because of lintbecoming matted against, and restricting the flow of air through, thefiltering device. Whenever the flow of air is restricted, it is apparentthat this reduces the force of the suction current. Also, efficientremoval of lint from collecting devices of this character has beenhampered because of the tendency of textile fibers to coalesce and clingto the walls of the collection devices.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedmethod for disposing of lint and other foreign matter in a textile millwhich comprises creating one or more traveling air suction currentsadjacent textile machines and/ or the fioor thcrebeneath, moving thesuction currents along predetermined paths to attract and entrap foreignmatter in the suction currents, conveying the suction currents andforeign matter entrapped thereby to a filtering surface moving generallywith said currents and wherein the air passes through the filteringsurface while the lint is entrapped thereagainst, wiping the entrappedlint from the filtering surface into a collection chamber moving withthe filtering surface, and periodically opening the collection chamberto empty the contents therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of thecharacter described and including the additional step of producing ablast of air in the collection chamber to assist in the removal of thecontents therefrom.

in its preferred embodiment, apparatus disclosed herein for carrying outthe present method comprises an overhead, rail mounted traveling suctionfan having one or more suction tubes or conduits communicating with theinlet thereof. A filter, carried by the fan, entraps lint received fromthe conduits as the air flows through the filter. Wiping means movesagainst the filter, continuously or intermittently, and wipes the lintfrom the filter intoa collection chamber which is also carried by thefan, and means is provided for periodically opening said chamber toremove the collected lint therefrom.

Fatenttecl Au 3, 19135 Some of the objects of the invention having beenstated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 isan elevation of a first embodiment of an improved combination travelingsuction and blowing cleaner for carrying out the method of the presentinvention and showing the same mounted upon a track located above a rowof textile machines, with portions of the fan housing broken away forpurposes of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the traveling cleaner looking at theright-hand side of the upper portion of FZGURE 1, but omitting thedependent tubes from the other side thereof and also omitting thetextile machine;

FIGURE 3 is a view looking at the opposite side of the traveling cleanerfrom that shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged isometric view of the improved traveling cleanerwith the dependent suction and blowing conduits being omitted, withparts being broken away at the suction compartment and collectionchamber, and showing a portion of a stationary receptacle adjacent thefront end of the trackway;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the travelingcleaner, showing the track and carriage in elevation, and being takensubstantially along line 5--5 in FIGURE 1;

FEGURE 6 is a front elevation of the traveling cleaner, with partsbroken away, looking at the opposite end thereor" from that shown inFIGURE 1 and also looking at the left-hand side of FIGURES 3 and 5;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing a secondembodiment of the traveling cleaner for carrying out the method of thepresent invention including modified forms of door means for thetraveling collection chamber and closure means between said chamber andthe suction compartment;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 88 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is another isometric view similar to FIG-- URE 4, but showing athird embodiment of the traveling cleaner;

FIGURE 10 is a front end elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 9;and

FIGURE 11 (sheet 3) is an enlarged side elevation similar to FIGURE 3,with parts broken away, but showing a further embodiment of thetraveling cleaner, wherein the filter wiping means is intermittentlydriven.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the first form of apparatusfor etlecting the method of this invention is shown in FIGURES 16 in theform of a traveling combination suction and blowing cleaner which, inFIG-' URE l, is movable along a trackway or rail constructionltlsuitably supported above a row of textile machines 11, only one of whichis shown in the form of a roving frame. It is apparent that thetraveling cleaner may be used for disposing of lint generating andsettling upon the floor as a result of any textile operation and forcleaning many different types of textile machines, such as spinningframes, carding machines, looms, draw frames, twisters, Winders,knitting machines, etc.

The trackway It? comprises a pair of spaced parallel rails or tracks l2,12 supported on brackets 13 suitably mounted upon posts 14, only one ofwhich is shown. A

wheeled carriage l5 movable along trackway it includes a gear housing 16in which pairs of wheels 2t), 22 are mounted. Wheels 28, 22 are suitablydriven by means such as that disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,011,763granted to W. B. Hodge et al. on Aug. 20, 1935. In order to reverse thedirection of rotation of wheels 20, 22, a shifting rod 23 projects fromopposite ends of gear housing 16.

Carriage 15 also includes an electric motor 24 which I drives themechanism within housing 16 in substantially the manner disclosed insaid patent, and which also carries and drives an impeller or fandisposed within a main fan housing broadly designated at 26. Fan housing26 includes opposed side walls 27, 28, upper and lower walls 31, 32 andopposed end walls 33, 34. End walls 33, 34 may be termed as respectivefront and rear walls for orientation purposes.

Fan housing 25 is divided into a blowing compartment 35 and a suctioncompartment 35 by means of a filtering medium embodied in asubstantially horizontally disposed and substantially flat filter orscreen 37, the frame of which is suitably secured to opposed side walls27, 28 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) and end walls 33, 34 (FIGURE 5). Thus,impeller 25 is enclosed only within the lower, blower, compartment 35.The top wall 31 of fan housing 26 has a relatively large ingress opening43 therein which establishes communication between suction cornpartment36 and a manifold or duct 41 overlying and being suitably secured to topwall 31. Manifold 41 may be considered as a part of suction compartment36. This suction compartment may be termed as an overhead filteringzone.

Opposed side portions of manifold 41 extend beyond the main fan housing26 and are provided with downwardly and outwardly directed air inlets42;, 43, 44 to which the upper ends of respective suction tubes, sleevesor conduits 45, 46, 47 are communicatively connected. The lower portionsof opposed side walls 27, 25 of main fan housing 26 are provided withrespective pairs of air outlets 5t 51 and 52, 53 to which respectiveblowing tubes, sleeves or conduits 54, 55, 56, 57 are communicativelyconnected.

It is important that at least one of the suction tubes terminates inclose proximity to the floor F upon which the lint and other wastematerial settles as it is generated by the textile manufacturingoperation. The free ends or openings of the remaining tubes mayterminate adjacent various parts of the machines past which thetraveling cleaner moves. In this instance, suction tube 47, which ispreferably of a flexible material, terminates in the form of a nozzle60, closely adjacent the floor F.

The remaining tubes 45, 46 and 5457 are provided with respective nozzlesor nozzle openings d16 at or adjacent their free ends, which arepositioned so as to travel adjacent various surfaces to be cleaned.

In this instance, suction nozzle 61 moves in a path above a sliver feedroll 76 suction nozzle 62 moves in a path closely adjacent the deliveryrolls of a drafting zone 71, blowing nozzle opening 63 moves in a pathabove and rearwardly of the drafting zone 71, and nozzle opening 64,which is in the form of an elongate slot provided in the lower portionof tube 55, directs air downwardly toward sliver guide rolls 72 and feedrolls 74 of machines 11. Nozzle opening 65 is formed in the innersurface of blowing tube 56 and directs air inwardly toward yarn packages73 and adjacent elements of machines 11, and blowing nozzle opening 66directs air downwardly toward the fiyers 74 of the machine, for example.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that, as the traveling cleaner movesalong trackway ltl, the rotary impeller 25 creates a continuous suctioncurrent at each suction nozzle 60, 61, 62 while creating a continuousblowing current at each blowing nozzle 6366. Thus, blowing nozzles 63-66dislodge lint and other light material from corresponding parts of themachines 11 over which carriage15 moves, while the suction current atthe floor nozzle causes lint and other light material upon the floor Fto be drawn thereinto through the tube 47, inlet 44, manifold 41 andinto suction compartment 36.

The suction nozzles 61, 62 draw lint thereinto from the respectivemachine parts embodied in the feed rolls 76 and the drafting zone 71,from whence it is conveyed through the respective suction tubes 45, 45,inlets 42, 43 and manifold 41 into the suction compartment 36 of mainfan housing 26. A medial portion of manifold 41 is preferably providedwith a transverse partition 81') (FIGURE 1) therein to assist indirecting lint and other light material from manifold 41 into suctioncompartment 36. It is apparent that lint and other light material drawninto suction compartment 36 is drawn against the upper surface of filter37 where it is filtered from the air before the air is exhausted throughair outlets 50-53 and the respective blowing tubes 54-57.

In order to clean the filter, to maintain efiicient suction in thesuction tubes 45, 46, 47, and to collect and store the lint and otherlight material during movement of the traveling cleaner, and to alsofacilitate subsequent disposition of the lint and other light material,the present method includes the step of mechanically wiping or rub bingthe lint off the upper surface of filter 37, either continuously orintermittently, during travel of the traveling cleaner. To this end,there is provided at least one wiper element 81 (FIGURES 1, 4, 5 and 6),shown in the form of an elongate brush, extending from one side to theother of the upper surface of filter 37. Brush 81 engages, and thusapplies a mechanical wiping action to, filter 37. Brush S1 is suitablysecured to a pair of endless pliable elements or belts 82, 83 supportedon respective pairs of rollers or pulleys 84, 85 disposed closelyadjacent respective side walls 27, 28 of main fan housing 25 withinsuction compartment 36.

The front pulleys 84, 85 are mounted on a shaft 86, and rear pulleys 84,85 are mounted on a shaft 87. Shafts $6, 87 may be journaled in sidewalls 27, 23, but are shown journaled in suitable bearings which may becarried by the frame of filter 37 or by side walls 27, 23. It should benoted that brush 81 may be in the form of a flexible plastic, rubber,leather or other sheet material or it may be provided with bristles, asshown.

In order to drive pulleys 84, 85 and the respective belts 82, 83, therear shaft 87 has one end of a suitable flexible cable or Bowden wire 90attached thereto, whose other end is connected to the shaft on which oneof the carriage wheels 20 is loosely mounted. As is clearly shown inFIGURES 5, 6 and 12 of said U.S. Patent No. 2,011,763, the shafts onwhich pulleys 29 are mounted may each rotate continuously in onedirection during movement of the traveling cleaner in either directionalong trackway It), so that wiper element 81 may be driven in onedirection throughout operation of the traveling cleaner.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be observed that the upper portionof the front end wall 33 is normally open and the front upper portionsof side walls 2'7, 28 extend forwardly to support a collection chamber92 which extends downwardly, forwardly of blowing compartment 35, and isprovided with a discharge opening 93 at its lower end which is normallyclosed by a door means 94. It will be observed in FIGURE 4 thatdischarge opening 93 is of substantially lesser width, with respect tothe lateral axis of the traveling cleaner, than the bottom Wall ofcollection chamber 92 and, preferably, an inclined false bottom orplatform 96 extends upwardly from one edge of the opening 93 to theopposite side wall of collection chamber 92. Thus, as wiper element 81moves in a clockwise direction in FIGURES 4 and 5, lint and other lightmaterial collected upon filter 37 falls off the front end of the frameof filter 37 and is deposited upon the inclined false bottom 96 and thenormally closed door means 94.

The present method also includes the steps of automatically periodicallyopening and emptying the traveling collection chamber while transferringcollected lint and the like into a suitable receptacle. Accordingly,means are provided for automatically opening door means 94 to empty thecontents of collection chamber 92 into a receptacle 169 which ispreferably stationary. In this instance, trackway 19 is double-ended andreceptacle 1% is suitably supported adjacent the front endof trackwayit). Receptacle 160 may be in the form of a closed container whose upperwall is provided with an opening 1991 which preferably corresponds insize to the egress opening 93 of collection chamber 92.

The front wall of receptacle 153% may be provided with a suitable door(not shown) to facilitate subsequent removal of the contents of thestationary receptacle 1% from time to time. Of course, if so desired,receptacle 1% may be connected to a suitable suction conduit system forcarrying the lint and other light material deposited therein from thetraveling collection chamber 92 to points remote from the textilemachines 11 or other textile manufacturing operation.

In order to open door means 534 of collection chamber 92, it will beobserved in FIGURE 6 that one side edge of door means 94 is hingedlyconnected, at 193, to one side wall of collection chamber 2, thisparticular side wall being formed as a portion or" the side wall 27 ofmain fan housing 26. In order to operate door means 94, it is providedwith an extension res (FIGURE 4) to which an arm 1595 is connected. Thefree end of arm 7&5 has cam follower 1% mounted thereon.

As carriage approaches the front end of tracliway 10, follower 166engages a fixed cam plate 107, of sinuous form, so that movement offollower res in engagement with plate 107 moves door means 94 to openposition. A suitable spring 114 assists in returning door means 94 toclosed position, in a manner to be later described, during reversemovement of the traveling cleaner and during corresponding movement ofthe follower 1% out of engagement with cam plate 1&7. The weight offollower 196 and arm 135 also assist in closing door means 94.

In order to assist in removing and discharging lint and other lightmaterial from collection chamber 92 whenever door means 94 is opened,means are provided for closing off communication between suctioncompartment 36 and collection chamber 92, and for directing a blast ofair into collection chamber 12. it will be observed in FIGURE 4 that oneembodiment of the means for closing off communication between suctioncompartment 36 and collection chamber 92 comprises a curved closuremember, valve or gate iii? which is normally positioned adjacent thefront wall of collection chamber 92 and at the upper portion thereof.

Gate 116 is fixed to a shaft ill journaled in the upper front portionsof side walls 27, 28, and one end thereof has a crank 112 fixed thereonto which the upper end of a link 1133 is pivotally connected. Link 113preferably has tension spring 114 interposed therein, and the lower endof link 113 is connected to one side of door means 94, as at 115. Thus,as door means 94 swings downwardly in the direction indicated by thearrow in FIGURE 4, it is apparent that gate 116 is moved to closedposition so that its lower portion moves against the frame of filter3'7, thus substantially closing the upper end of collection chamber 92with respect to suction compartment 36.

Also, when door means 94 is moved to open position, compressed air isadmitted into collection chamber 92. through an opening or slot 116(FIGURE 6) formed in that portion of side wall 23 defining collectionchamber 92 and immediately above the uppermost portion of inclined falsebottom 96. To this end, it will be observed that the front portion of aconduit 112% communicates with slot 116, and this conduit 12% extendsrearwardly and is communicatively connected to an auxiliary blowingchamber 121 which is closed with the exception of communicating with themain blowing chamber 35 through a suitable opening 122 (FIGURE 3) formedin the bottom wall 32 of main fan housing 26.

In order to control the flow of air from blowing chamber 35 intocollection chamber d2, conduit 12% has a butterfly valve 124 journaledtherein, whose shaft 125 projects outwardly from conduit 126 and has acrank 125 fixed thereon. Crank 126 is normally urged upwardly, to urgevalve 124 to closed position, by a spring 127. A

pliable cable 130, connected to the free end of crank 126,

extends downwardly beneath and in engagement with a pulley 131 suitablyjournaled on the side wall 2%, and then extends inwardly and isconnected, as at 132 (FIGURE 4), to the opposite side edge of the doormeans 94 from that to which link 113 is connected.

Cable 139 preferably has a tension spring 133 interposed therein sothat, when valve 124 has been moved to fully opened position withdownward movement of door means 94, door means 94 may be moved furtherto fully opened position while valve 124 remains stationary. In order tolimit the movement of valve 124, a suitable stop member or abutment 135(FIGURE 3) may be provided within conduit 12% which abutment is engagedby the butterfly valve 124. g

It is apparent that, since impeller 25 rotates continuously and directsair downwardly and outwardly, whenever butterny valve 124 is opened inthe manner heretofore described, air flows through the auxiliary blowingchamber 121, through conduit 12% and through opening 116 and thus flowsinto collection chamber 92. Therefore, each time the traveling cleanerapproaches the end of each forward movement thereof, door 94 is openedautomatically, gate 116 is closed, and valve 124 is opened so that ablast of air is directed into chamber 2, along the upper surface of theinclined false bottom 96, to assist in removing collected lint and otherlight material from collection chamber 92, from whence it falls throughopening iii into stationary receptacle 1%.

It is apparent that gate lit) is provided so that the blast of airflowing through opening 1H does not reduce the effectiveness of thesuction created in the suction cornpartment Also, gate lit prevents fan25 from drawing l mit from collection chamber 92 back into suctioncompartment 36 when door means 9d is open. This further assists inkeeping the filter 37 clean.

As heretofore stated, gear housing 16 of carriage 15 contains a drivingand reversing mechanism for the wheels 25?, 22 of carriage 15, whichreversing mechanism is operated by shifting rod 23, as disclosed in saidU.S. Patent No. 2,011,763. In order to move shifting rod 23 relative tocarriage 15 at the end of each stroke of carriageli, each end oftrackway It is provided with an abutment 134, only one of which is shownin FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, which is engaged by the corresponding end ofshifting rod 23 so that further movement of carriage 15 causes shiftingrod 23 to move in the opposite direction from that of the direction ofmovement of carriage 15, thus reversing the direction of travel of thetraveling cleaner.

Second embodiment of the traveling cleaning apparatus The secondembodiment of apparatus for effecting the method of the presentinvention shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 has many parts which are similar tothose parts of the first embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 through 6.Therefore, where applicable, the parts shown in FZGURFS 7 and 8 shallbear the same reference characters as like parts shown in FIGURES 1through 6 with the small letter a afiixed thereto, in order to avoidrepetitive descripticn.

The second embodiment of the apparatus differs from the first embodimentin that air is exhausted from the blowing compartment downwardly towardthe machines below the track without using tubes extending to thevarious machine parts, although such tubes may be used, if desired.Further, the structure of FIGURES 7 and 8 includes door opening andclosing means for the collection chamber, and gate means between thecollection chamber and the suction compartment, which differ from thestruc ture shown in FIGURES 1 through 6, and which will now be describedin detail.

It will be observed in FIGURES 7 and 8 that the discharge opening 93afor collection chamber 92a extends throughout the width of collectionchamber 2a, and door means 94a is hingedly connected, as at lil3a, tothe 7 rear wall of collection chamber 92a. Hinge pin M311 (FIGURE 8) hasa crank 149 which projects outwardly with respect to door means 94a andhas a follower 141 thereon.

During normal travel of the traveling cleaner, the weight of crank arm14%? and follower 141 is sufficient to maintain door means 94a in theclosed position shown in FIGURE 7. If so desired, a suitable spring,such as a torsion spring 142 (FIGURE 8), may be provided to assist inmaintaining the door means 94a in closed position. The front end oftrackway 19a has a stop or abutment 14d projecting upwardly therefromand disposed in the path of travel of follower 141.

As the traveling cleaner moves forwardly, from right to left in FIGURES7 and 8, with the door means 4a in the normally closed position, thefollower 141 engages abutment 144, thus swinging door means 94a to theopen position (FIGURE 8) for emptying the contents thereof into thestationary receptacle liltla. As the abutment 144- is engaged byfollower 14-1, shifting rod 23a engages abutment 134:: to reverse thedirection of movement of the traveling cleaner as door means 94a reachesfully opened position. It is apparent that door means 94a returns toclosed position as the reverse movement of the traveling cleaner iseffected.

As is the case in the first embodiment of the traveling cleaner, gatemeans is provided for closing the upper end of collection chamber 92aeach time door means 94a is opened. In this instance, said gate meanscomprises a pair of gates, valves or closure members 145, 146 whosedistal edges are suitably secured to respective hinge rods or shafts1427, 143 journaled in side walls 27a, 25a of collection chamber 92a anddisposed on substantially the same level as filter 37a. Correspondingends of hinge shafts 147, 143 extend through wall 23a and haverespective cranks 151, 152 fixed thereon.

Pliable cables or cords 153, 154 are connected to the cranks 151, 152.The cables 153, 154 pass beneath respective pulleys 155, 156, then passinwardly toward each other and over respective pulleys 157, 153. Pulleys155-158 may be suitably supported and journaled on side wall 28a. Cables153, 154 extend downwardly from pulleys 157, 153 and are suitablyconnected to one side edge of door means 94a, as at 169. Cables 153),154 may be interconnected in the form of a single cable, if desired.

It is apparent that, when door means 94a is swung from closed to openposition, the cables 153, 154 are pulled downwardly therewith and swingthe gates 145, 146 from the opened position of FIGURE 7 to the closedposition tion, although suitable spring means maybe provided for thispurpose, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In FIGURES 7 and 8, it will be noted that, instead of providing meansfor connecting blowing conduits to opposed sides of the main fan housingfor communication with the blowing compartment, the lower rear portionof main fan housing a is provided with one or more air outlets 165 whichare connected to rear wall 34a of housing 25a for communication withblowing compartment a. As shown in FIGURE 8, outlets may terminate abovethe level of trackway 10a, although it is to be understood that they mayalso be provided with blowing tubes of substantially the type disclosedwith respect to the first embodiment of the traveling cleaner.

There may be instances in which the size of the suction tubescommunicating with suction compartment 36a or with the suctioncompartment of any of the embodiments of the apparatus may undesirablyrestrict the inward fiow of air through the screen or filter 37a andthrough the blowing compartment. Accordingly, the second embodiment ofthe apparatus includes a regulator valve construction (FIGURES 7 and 8)broadly designated at 167 and which is shown in the form of a plate orvalve member 171 guided for sliding movement against the upper surfaceof top wall v1a by suitable guide members or angle clips 171. The topwall 31a of main fan housing 26a has an elongate transversely extendingslot or opening 173 therein and over which the valve plate 179 may beremoved to regulate the effective size of the slot 1'73. Thus, in theevent that the amount of air which may flow through main fan housing 26ais too restricted, valve member may then be moved to increase the sizeof the opening 173, as desired.

The remaining parts of the second embodiment of the traveling cleanershown in FIGURES 7 and 8 may be identical to or substantially the sameas corresponding parts of the first embodiment shown in FIGURES 1through 6. Therefore, a further description thereof is deemedunnecessary.

Third embodiment of the traveling cleaning apparatus Referring toFIGURES 9 and 10, a third embodiment of traveling cleaner is shown inwhich the manifold of the first and second embodiments is omitted, andmeans are provided to assist in supporting the belts which support thewiper element or brush. Further, the suction conduits are connected tothe main fan housing in a manner somewhat different from that disclosedwith respect to the first and second embodiments of the travelingcleaner. In all other respects, the traveling cleaner of FIGURES 9 and10 may be identical to or substantially the same as the travelingcleaner of FIGURES 1 through 6, and, therefore, those parts in FIGURES 9and 10 which correspond to parts shown in FIGURES 1 through 6 shall bearthe same reference characters with the small letter b" added, in orderto avoid repetitive description.

The top wall 31b of the main fan housing 261) in FIG- URES 9 and 10 neednot have an opening therein for ingress of air from the suctionconduits. However, the top wall 311) is equipped with a regulator valvemechanism 167b which may be identical to the regulator valve 167 ofFIGURES 7 and 8. Accordingly, the valve mem- 1763, guides 1'71b andopening 17312 of FIGURE 9 correspond to the valve member 1'70, guides171 and opening 173 of FIGURE 8.

Since the traveling cleaner of FIGURES 9 and 10 is devoid of a manifoldsuch as that indicated at 41 in FIGURE 1, conduits 136, 131 areconnected to and extend through opposed side walls 27!), 28b of main fanhousing 255 for communication with suction compartment 3617. Althoughsuction conduits 189, 181 may be the same as suction conduits 45, 4'5,47 of FIGURE 1, their upper ends in FIGURES 9 and 10 are shown in theform of flared, elongate and relatively narrow hollow members whoseproximal or inner portions are disposed between the upper and lower runsof the respective endless belts 82b, 83b. The proximal portions of theconduits 189, 181 within suction compartment 36b are preferably of thesame vertical height or thickness as the diameter of the pulleys 34b,85b to thus assist in supporting the upper and lower runs of the belts82b, 83b between the respective pulleys 84b, 8512.

In all other respects, the structure shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 may bethe same as the structures shown in FIGURES 16 and, therefore, adetailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Fourth embodiment of the traveling cleaning apparatus Referring toFIGURE 11, a fourth embodiment of the traveling cleaner for effectingthe method of the present invention is shown which, with the exceptionof the means for driving the wiper element or brush for the filter, isidentical to the first embodiment and, therefore, those parts in FIGURE11 corresponding to like parts in FIGURES 1 through 6 shall bear thesame reference is n 9 characters with the small letter c avoidrepetitive description.

in the first three embodiments of the traveling cleaner, the wiperelement for cleaning the filter is moved continuously. if so desired,the wiper element of each of said three embodiments of the invention maybe moved intermittently, in steps of a partial revolution, a completerevolution or more than a revolution by means of mechanism such as isshown in FIGURE 11, for example, and which will now be described indetail.

As disclosed in said US. Patent No. 2,011,763, the shaft on which thefront wheels of carriage are mounted rotates continuously in onedirection while the rear shaft, on which the rear wheels of the carriageare loosely mounted rotates continuously in the opposite direction.Accordingly, it will be observed in FIGURE 11 that the front shaft 189on which corresponding wheel 22c is mounted, has a crank 19% fixedthereon which has an eccentric pin 191 projecting outwardly therefrom.As crank 190 rotates with shaft 189, it moves into engagement withsuccessive arms 192 of a spider wheel 193 journaled on one side ofcarriage 150. Spider wheel 193 has one end or" a flexible cable orBowden wire 194 connected thereto and Whose other end is connected tothe shaft 87 on which the rear roller 840 is fixedly mounted.

Thus, each time disk or crank 190 engages one of the arms 192 of spiderwheel 193, this transmits rotation from the continuously rotating crank190 to spider wheel 193 which, in turn, imparts intermittent orstep-by-step rotation to the belts which move the wiper element or brush81c. It is apparent that each step in movement of wiper element 51c mayinclude a complete revolution or partial revolution and, during eachsuch step, the fan may be slowed down so as to reduce the fiow of airinwardly through filter 370, although the traveling cleaner may continueto move.

It is thus seen that I have provided several embodiments of a noveltraveling cleaning apparatus for carrylog out my novel and improvedmethod of cleaning textile machines and/ or floors therebeneath andwherein lint and other light material is conveyed from the various partsof the machines and from the floor into a suction compartment, where itis deposited upon a filter as the air passes through the filter. Also,it is seen that I have provided a novel means for cleaning the filter bywiping the lint and other light material off the filter and into acollection chamber adjacent one side or one end of the filter, alongwith means for automatically opening and closing the collection chamberfor emptying the contents thereof into a stationary receptacle at thepredetermined intervals.

It is seen further that I have provided means whereby the Wiper elementmay move continuously or intermittently across the upper surface of thefilter wherein the fan may be stopped while the filter is being wipedand also, wherein I have provided means for closing the suctioncompartment with respect to the collection chamber whenever thecollection chamber is opened for emptying the contents therefrom.Further, it is seen that I have provided means for admitting air underpressure into the collection chamber from the blowing compartment of thetraveling cleaner whenever the door means of the collection chamber isopened for emptying the contents therefrom.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. A method of disposing of fiber Waste generated as an incident of atextile manufacturing operation and settling on the floor of a textilemill which comprises added, in order to (a) applying a. confined area ofsuction air currents at the floor level,

(b) moving said area of suction currents along a predesignated pathadjacent the floor and adjacent one side of a row of textile machines toattract and entrap the fiber waste,

(c) conveying said suction currents and entrapped fiber waste upwardlyabove said textile machines to an overhead zone traveling in unison withsaid confined area, while (d) directing the suction current through afilter in said traveling overhead zone and entrapping the fiber wasteagainst said filter,

(e) simultaneously applying a mechanical'wiping action against thefilter by moving a wiper element, traveling with the overhead zone,across and in contact with said filter to wipe and remove fiber Wastefrom said filter, while (i) utilizing said wiping action for moving thefiber waste from said filter into a collection chamber moving with saidoverhead zone, and

g) periodically emptying the collected fiber waste' from said collectionchamber.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of forming a substantiallyair-tight barrier between said filter and said collection chamber priorto said emptying of said collection chamber to prevent air from enteringsaid collection chamber as a consequence of the how of air through saidfilter.

3. The rnethod of claim 2 which includes the further step of introducingair into said collection chamber to aid in removing said collected fiberWaste therefrom.

4. A method of disposing of fiber waste generated as an incident of atextile manufacturing operation and settling on the fioor of a textilemill which comprises (a) applying a confined area of suction air'currents at the fioor level,

(b) moving said area of suction currents along a predesignated pathadjacent the floor and adjacent one side of a row of textile machines toattract and entrap the fiber waste,

(0) conveying said suction currents and entrapped fiber waste upwardlyabove said textile machines to an overhead zone traveling in unison withsaid confined area, while (d) directing the suction currents through afilter screen in said traveling overhead zone and entrapping the fiberwaste against said filter screen,

(e) simultaneously applying a mechanical wiping action against thefilter screen by moving a brush, travcling with the overhead zone,across and in contact with said filter screen to Wipe and remove fiberwaste from said filter screen, while (f) utilizing said Wiping actionfor moving the fiber waste from said filter screen into a collectionchamber moving with said overhead zone, and

(g) periodically emptying the collected fiber waste from said collectionchamber.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,656,031 1/28Aalborg 55--297 1,791,574 2/31 Pauly 55-297 X 1,993,231 3/35 Tunstall15352 X 2,939,408 6/60 Greenberg 15-345 X 2,976,558 3/61 Fain 153l23,011,925 12/61 Holtzclaw 134-21 3,053,700 9/62 Kulp 134-21 X 3,055,0389/62 Black 15--312.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,143,925 4/57 France.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

DQNALL H. SYLVESTER, Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF DISPOSING OF FIBER WASTE GENERATED AS AN INCIDENT OF ATEXTILE MANUFACTURING OPEATION AND SETTLING ON THE FLOR OF A TEXTILEMILL WHICH COMPRISES (A) APPLYING A CONFINED AREA OF SUCTIONAIR CURRENTSAT THE FLOOR LEVEL, (B) MOVING SAID AREA OF SUCTION CURRENTS ALONG APREDESIGNATED PATH ADJACENT THE FLOOR AND ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF A ROW OFTEXTILE MACHINES TO ATTRACT AND ENTRAP THE FIBER WASTE, (C) CONVEYINGSAID SUCTION CURRENTS AND ENTRAPPED FIBER WASTE UPWARDLY ABOVE SAIDTEXTILE MACHINES TO AN OVERHEAD ZONE TRAVELING IN UNISON WITH SAIDCONFINED AREA, WHILE (D) DIRECTING THE SUCTION CURRENT THROUGH A FILTERIN SAID TRAVELING OVERHEAD ZONE AND ENTRAPPING THE FIBER WASTE AGAINSTSAID FILTER.